Le Soleil et la Flamme Bleue
by BubbleSnake
Summary: This work is a TRANSLATION of AHELYA's story. Zuko and Azula's birth and the following days...


Hey there ! That's the first time I'm translating in this fandom. That's also the first time that I translate in English (and it's not my first language so feel free to correct me anytime, I'll get better with your help !).  
There's always so many stories in English that I usually translate things in French but... I read this masterpiece and I couldn't let you miss it.  
Well, that's all for me here, I'll wait at the end of the story !

* * *

The pregnancy had been difficult. For her, a bit. For the child, a lot. She had almost lost him several times before the Court's doctor ordered her to stay in bed, at all cost. She had obeyed.

Her Lord and Husband, Prince Ozai had not said a thing. She had been happy of this. She preferred his disapproving silences to his cold remarks or his words too charming to be sincere.

The pregnancy had been difficult and her child, a boy, finally was born.

.o.

The pregnancy had been difficult. For her more than for the child. She had been excruciatingly sick during the first few months. Once again, the Court's doctor had ordered her to stay in bed at all costs. It was for her own health this time.

Her Lord and Husband, Prince Ozai had not said a thing but his gaze was worth thousands of words. He rejoiced in her suffering and she would probably have preferred his cold remarks or his words too charming to be sincere to his silence this time.

The pregnancy had been difficult and her child, a girl this time, finally was born.

.o.

The delivery had been long. She had been told that it was often the case for a first child. The first birth pang had woken her up at dawn and it had not ceased to grow as the sun gradually rose up in the sky. A good sign, that was what everyone had thought.

The delivery lasted the whole day. The child was born at dusk and cried out plaintively before falling asleep against her breast whereas the sun was setting. That was not a good sign. That was what everyone had tought.

Her Lord and Husband, Prince Ozai had visited her the day following the child's birth. The Fire Sages were with him. They wanted to see the child, a boy. They wanted to see if he had this flame in his eyes that was the mark of those who were able to fire bend.

The child stubbornly kept his eyes closed during the entire visit. They tried their best to make him open his eyelids but he immediately let out shrieking screams while shaking violently arms and legs. His mother alone was able to calm him down and he finally fell asleep against her breast, happy. The Fire Sages left but promised to come again the next day.

Ozai stayed.

"So this is what the joint lineage of Sozin and Roku produced…"

Then he started to leave. She stopped him and asked :

"His name, my husband. What name do you want to give him ?"

Ozai didn't answer and left. She concluded that he left her this responsibility.

.o.

The delivery had been faster this time. Like the first time, she had been woken up by the birth pangs. Not at dawn, however. The sun was already high up in the sky when they started. It was probably a good thing.

The delivery didn't last the whole day. The child was born when the sun was at the highest in the sky. The best sign that was what everyone had thought.

Her Lord and Husband, Prince Ozai had visited her during the afternoon. The child, a girl, was laying in a richly decorated cradle but she wasn't sleeping. She was fidgeting. Her eyes, wide open, were carefully observing everything that was happening around her. Ozai leaned over, watched his newborn daughter. He smiled. Happy ?

"The flame is there, even if her eyes seem blue."

She almost said that it was normal and that her eye color would change in the following days but she preferred staying silent.

Much to her surprise, Ozai took their daughter in his arms.

"Her name will be Azula. In honor of her grandfather."

She bowed her head. Ozai put the child back in the cradle. He left with a happy look that she had never seen on him before.

The next day, the Fire Sages came and confirmed her husband's statements. Princess Azula had this flame in her eyes, this proof of her future ability to fire bend.

.o.

Prince and General Iroh and his son, prince Lu-ten, came to see her and the child soon after Ozai and the Fire Sages. Lu-ten quickly wanted to hold his cousin in his arms. Worried, she looked at Iroh who smiled at her then kneeled to talk to his son.

"In a few days, maybe. For now, I believe that my new nephew does not wish to leave his mother's arms."

She decided to lean over, allowing the child to see the baby.

"What is his name ?" Lu-ten asked.

She looked away. Iroh made a concerned face.

"Lady Ursa ?"

She sighed.

"My husband gave me this responsibility but…

-But you don't know how to name him ?

-No, this is not the problem. I have an idea, but he won't be pleased…"

She knew that Iroh was aware of her origins's secret, the very reason of her wedding with prince Ozai, and he understood what she was implying. She never knew how exactly, but he understood.

"So many things can hide behind a simple word, he told her. Some use anagrams. Other look for similarity of the sound. I can assure you, the possibilities are endless."

She thought for a long time.

Then she smiled.

"Prince Lu-ten, she suddenly said, may I present you consin, prince Zuko."

Ozai never seem to suspect what was hiding behind this name.

.o.

Prince and General Iroh and his son, prince Lu-ten, as well as her own son, prince Zuko, came to see her and the child soon after the Fire Sages. Princess Azula was in her cradle, her eyes still wide open, watching her surroundings. Sometimes she was fidgeting and giggling. Iroh took her in his arms after briefly exchanging looks with his sister-in-law and he showed her to her cousin and her brother.

"What is her name ?" Lu-ten asked.

"My husband decided that it would be Azula."

Iroh immediately turned towards her. Their eyes met.

"In honor of our father." He whispered.

She confirmed.

Then Iroh's eyes went back and forth between his niece and his nephew. Several times. He made a concerned face.

"Prince Iroh ?"

He closed his eyes.

"So many things behind a simple name…" He said.

She never understood what he was meaning.

.o.

She was alone with her child peacefully sleeping in her arms. Days had passed. The Fire Sages came to see her several times, but not once had they seen correctly the prince Zuko's eyes. Some said that there was not a single flame in his eyes. Other said that it was indeed there. The Sage among the sages, their leader, was still uncertain but he had helped Ursa. They had both pleaded her Lord and Prince Ozai so that he wouldn't abandon the child.

Zuko let out a plaintive little cry. His eyes opened, and his eyelids didn't close. She stared at them, her breath taken away.

Ozai and the Fire Sages were right. There was no flame in the prince's eyes, but why would he need a flame if his eyes were as golden and shinning as the sun ?

Her son would be able to fire bend. She couldn't doubt it.

Yet she was worried.

.o.

She was alone with her child fidgeting ang giggling in the cradle. She took her in her arms. Her daughter protested. She rocked her tenderly. The child's eyelids closed but, while watching her sleep, her mother could still see the flame that had made her husband and the Fire Sages so delighted. Azula's eyes had an amber-like color now, but the flame inside them was still as blue as before. She knew what this color could mean.

Her daughter would be able to fire bend. No one doubted it.

Yet herself, she was worried.

* * *

So ? How was it ? Did you feel a bit of this delicious sadness that runs through my veins right now ?  
Hmm... Well, if you speak French, you can go and say something to the author, that's always cool, and if you don't, ask me I'll do it for you. As for me, I don't know if I will translate anything in English again but let's hope so !  
Thanks for reading !

(Oh and if you wanted to know, the title is "The Sun and the Blue Flame")


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